Funeral of Lord Ballyedmond, who was killed in Norfolk helicopter crash at Gillingham, to take place in Northern Ireland

08:57 24 March 2014

Lord Ballyedmond's funeral was held this morning.

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The funeral of entrepreneur and peer Edward Haughey, Lord Ballyedmond, will be held in Newry, Northern Ireland today (Monday).

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Lord Ballyedmond, was one of the richest men in Northern Ireland and the head of global pharmaceutical company Norbrook Laboratories.

He was killed along with three other men when the helicopter they were travelling to Northern Ireland in crashed close to Edward Haughey’s estate in Norfolk. An inquest, which was opened and adjourned in Norwich last Thursday, heard that Lord Ballyedmond, who owns Gillingham Hall, died of head and chest injuries along with captain Carl Dickerson, captain Lee Hoyle, both pilots, and Declan Small, a joiner by trade, who worked as a site foreman for Lord Ballyedmond’s company.

The Augusta Westland AW139 helicopter they were travelling in crashed in a field off the A143 Yarmouth Road in Gillingham at about 7.30pm on March 13, shortly after taking off from Gillingham Hall.

Born on January 5, 1944, Lord Ballyedmond was 70 at the time of his death.

His funeral is due to be held in Newry Cathedral this morning. A memorial service to commemorate his life is set to be held in London on a date to be announced.

Yesterday (Sunday) a funeral was held for Mr Small at his hometown of Mayobridge, County Down. Hundreds of people attended the funeral service, during which prayers were said for Lord Ballyedmond’s family and the families of the two pilots.

Investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash, with the findings of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch not expected until about a year’s time.